Dubrovnik urges Venice to follow its example and not charge entry fees – ‘we are ready to help’

Venice

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković has congratulated newly elected Venice Mayor Simone Venturini and invited him to strengthen cooperation between the two historic cities, focusing on sustainable tourism, heritage protection and smart urban management.

Dubrovnik and Venice have been official twin cities since 2012, linked by their maritime traditions, rich cultural heritage and UNESCO World Heritage status.

Both destinations have also faced similar challenges in balancing tourism growth with the preservation of historic city centres and the quality of life of local residents.

In a letter sent to Venturini, Franković said the time was right to renew and deepen cooperation between the two cities through the exchange of knowledge, experience and examples of good practice.

The Dubrovnik mayor highlighted the city’s transformation over the past decade through the “Respect the City” initiative, launched in 2017 to address the pressures of overtourism.

At the time, Dubrovnik was frequently cited as one of Europe’s most prominent examples of excessive tourism pressure.

According to Franković, Dubrovnik has since developed a comprehensive destination management model that has gained international recognition for promoting sustainable and smart tourism.

This year, the European Commission awarded Dubrovnik the title of European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2026, recognising the city’s efforts to develop innovative and citizen-focused tourism policies.

In his letter, Franković outlined a number of measures introduced by Dubrovnik, including limiting cruise ship arrivals to a maximum of two vessels per day, requiring a minimum eight-hour stay for cruise ships, and using advanced digital systems to monitor visitor movements in real time.

He also highlighted digital platforms such as Dubrovnik Visitors and Dubrovnik Eye, the Dubrovnik Pass visitor management system, and the Dubrovnik Bus Web Shop, which aims to improve mobility and reduce congestion.

The mayor stressed that Dubrovnik’s approach has been built through cooperation with UNESCO, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the tourism sector and local residents, alongside educational campaigns promoting responsible visitor behaviour.

Franković said the city’s greatest achievement was demonstrating that tourism growth, economic success and residents’ quality of life can work together rather than compete with one another.

While presenting Dubrovnik’s experience, he emphasised that the city did not seek to act as a teacher but as a partner, recognising that every historic city faces unique circumstances and requires tailored solutions.

He also noted that cooperation between Dubrovnik and Venice had weakened in recent years due to limited engagement by previous administrations and expressed hope that relations could now be revitalised.

Franković said Dubrovnik is ready to share its experience, data, digital tools and practical solutions developed over the last decade, while also learning from Venice’s own approaches and initiatives.

Dubrovnik

Concluding the letter, he invited Venturini to visit Dubrovnik or host a meeting in Venice to discuss opportunities for renewed cooperation, stating that the future of both cities depends on finding shared solutions to common challenges.

The two cities remain among Europe’s most recognised historic destinations and continue to face similar issues surrounding tourism management, heritage preservation and sustainable urban development.